While traveling to Baghdad, the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks about the transition of security in Iraq from the surge strategy to more of an overwatch role. Gates says that the U.S. will still be engaged even as Iraqi security forces start to take over responsibility for several provinces. (0:43)
The U.S. forces in Iraq are entering a 45-day period of review recommended by outgoing Multinational Forces commander Gen. David Petraeus. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen recently returned from a visit to the Middle East and he spoke with optimism about his trip to Iraq saying that if conditions continue to improve, he expects “to be able to, early in the fall, to recommend to the secretary and the president further troop reductions.”
Regarding Afghanistan, Mullen noted that coalition forces are seeing more foreign fighters flowing across the border with Pakistan “unmolested and unhindered.” Secretary of Defense Robert Gates Gates described all U.S. military action toward Pakistan in response to this as defensive counter attacks and dismissed the notion of a cross-border offensive by the U.S. Gates also said that the absence of pressure has created an opportunity for more people to cross the border and launch attacks. He called for more pressure and engagement with Pakistan to increase security on the Pakistani side of the border.
Military commanders in Afghanistan have made it clear that there is an increased need for more troops in there, but both Mullen and Gates have said that an increase of troops in Afghanistan hinges on troop reductions in Iraq. Some forces, the USS Lincoln for example, have been shifted to support Afghanistan and Gates said that other options are being examined. Both Gates and Mullen said that more troops in Afghanistan would make a big difference in security in Afghanistan.
An recent attack on an outpost in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, which killed nine U.S. troops and resulted in the abandonment of the outpost was described by Mullen as one of significant numbers and sophistication. “It was a very large group, several hundred insurgents, it was very well planned, a very sophisticated attack…from what I can see right now is that they were well trained, well armed, and it was a significant number and a complex attack,” he said.
